Machines for filling cases, cartons or other packages with containers such as cans



p 22, 1959 P. P. NOTREDAME ET AL 2,904,944

MACHINES FOR FILLING CASES, CARTONS OR OTHER PACKAGES WITH CONTAINERS, SUCH AS CANS Filed Feb. 18, 1955 4 Sheets-$heet 1 {A 9%"? g I! m s P e r a \qdor. N rredame 1 daEmeK W\ ham N TOES ET AL S, CARTONS OR OTHER Sept. 22, 1 P. P. NOTREDAME MACHINES FOR FILLING CASE PACKAGES WITH CONTAINERS SUCH AS CANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed. Feb. 18, 1955 Prosper Fob dove No'i'r'e dame Kw m m.. am A 5% m p 1959 P. P. NOTREDAME ET AL 2,904,944

MACHINES FOR FILLING CASES, CARTONS OR OTHER PACKAGES WITH CONTAINERS SUCH AS CANS Filed Feb. 18, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet s Pro p P ngaea. oi-re dame.

K Wmmm. $$Toas Y mmfiwhwkmh M KTTH$ Filed Feb. 18, 1955 Sept. 22, 1959 P P. NOTREDAME ET AL 2,904,944

MACHINES FdR FILLING CASES, CARTONS OR OTHER PACKAGES WITH CONTAINERS SUCH AS CANS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 United States Patent A pucaaonmebmar is, isss senamonsanstt 1C1. :ss--61) Our ;present invention relates to a machine used for :filling cases or other ,packages with containers, such as teams ,or; cardboard boxes, bottles, ,etc.

The object thereof {is .to produce a rapid ,action machine, :all ,the lmovements .of Which :may [.be effected byacompressed .air-or a ,similar fluid under compression and in which the.containersito;he;packed maybe ,gripped v-and,moved by :means. of a .vacnum.

This machinedstbasically,distingnished bylthe feature that: the containers: conveyed to vthe ,correct posiiion by re conveyor, zareoconveyed in successive rowson to a table; in -such aqmannerthat, after one rowthasibeenjfed, b11116; containers. disposed onthe Ifeed ;c,onveyor are stopped, whilst the row which has just been disposed on the table aismurged :atowards ,a position .where the successive ,rows

tarereceived nntiLa. layerisiformednwhichjis thener gaged aged-{elevation ofa portion of the I y g. Fig. 5 is a pai'tialtsecfion.a dpartiahdiagram of'the tconveyinga mechanism of theilayers of cans.

is a side elevation 7with parts broken away fFjg jAlisna diagrammatic illustration ofithe ,nppen end ofthe mechanism LofFigflS.

Figs. M6 10 1 4 are t, explanatory-"diagrams. Themachine which is. the object of the present invenltion,.maii11y,compicises. a' fixed "framefll, a conveyor belt I2t-formed,ffor,example,' by a double chain, on which are,

;conveyed .to tthehmachinel the upright containers *3, or

other objects which'have'togbe pabkedfi for example, ,emptyt 0:;fil1ed cans, and a conveyor 4 which may, for irexamplepbea roller conv eyorand on ,which the cartons 5 L(Fi g.?3) or the cases to be filled are moved.

.After enteringg'the, machine andleavingthe. belt 2,

the .cans are received by a table 6 and are movedfthel ieon each other between an ejector "7 and the moving first can in the row, strikes IIfiwiIY'thnSILbe seenjthat 'a complete roW. of cans is ialwfays "urge'ld' into the machine t-and' that, whilst waiting b h te Q- mai 'on theibeltjz which, continues to move.

'Thefiisplacement ofthe,ejector7"is produced by a "*bf theoperattirtg cylinder 12"by compressedebates"exq Ce 2,904,944 a en d sent- 022, c1595? 2 emp e n whi a ,n s e (Fig- B) m y b isp ac d tthe ro d 1 3 of whioh car ries the pushrnmber 11. 'lihe e e to ve e Pe e t e t fll ene :Q s r n A re ;1 tE 4 ich han .de'wn ehdtear es-a horizontal rail 16, the bevelledend 17. o1E which passes through .a slot.,13.,in the ,transom 8 and. canaet on a roller 19 married .by a projection ,19 of the transom 35, is onneqted with the plisher 9L1.

The rail ,16 is bent at 20 atits other end opposite (the bevel ,and this bend ;has a. switch actuator 21 As will be ,easily understood when, controlled ,by h y i de 12 h ,P she 1 be i t m v i d r t tindieate thy the arr 5 t (F 4) t sti a the ejector '7 it causes at the same time, by-the action f th t e e 5 n t rolle 1 th l werin o tith transom so that the ,row of cans may .be rncgved onto th table .nerp ndieulafly .10 th g nv ns s reetien Without being affected by the transom When-the pnsh member 1 1 has completed its course, the switch, actuator 21 acts on {an interrupter switch ,2}, theobiee .Q .whieh.wil1 e xpla ned h re na ter (Big-v.4)

ByQm eans which will also be explained hereinafter, at the,moment whenthe firstwean in the rowintrodneed tweentth ej ct and t e t n m eet .91 th sinter fi late .19, :th cylinde .1 om into action, a te .whieh transom ,8 is d awn down ardl ant tithe teie t fi pu he h comple o t o een t the ta e. When thi movemen take mlee t can anv -1 Y vevj g eh ingl ar s eppedtby t ben ,l MQ Jh teieQtQ Th v, st o th eq veyin t hai det r ine thefQIQ off th .ni y ln ee serynt q r n w o eea t ntt th table of the machine between the ejector 7 the tra om .8 a els th fo requ d .teae 9 1fl1e interrupter swi t h 9. Whena suflicient nurnber of rows of cans has been pushed onto the table 6, the 1teeid 'is ee eme eal y int rn p e an the op ra n e vtheeieete "-9PP1- v "N h -;3PP= I3IU wh il be. eeeri e tlaerei Aje ttierjl i d spose er zen el flebe e hem tion of the tablejfi on to -which are successiyely conyeyed Ithe various rows of cans whichjhavebeeni intoithe ejecton'l and ,the moving transom .8 an is able to-movehorizonta1ly under the control of a cylinder working by compressed air-26 (Figs. 10 and 11) so -as to conveyat one and the, same time, over the gagton 5 'the cans whichhave been collected at the position shown bv tli -k end -ra se i e m e leve ,bv-e

'engaginglhead'fltl fitted with cup-shaped members 29 in which a vacuum prevails at certain moments and against whichjthe cans 3, 1n ay be disposed.

' The, carrier-25 B integral with a vertically arranged cylinder"30 and closedat the top by a metal sheetfil "(Fig.jS) to which is attached a frame'rfltz in yvh ich is "disposed at small cy1inder"33 (Fig. 5A) cqn mg "-valve34 and where terminate the compressedlairpipjes after traversing the base of the cylinder 37 -is connected to the engaging head 28, may move from top to-bottom and from bottom to top. The movements-of thewpiston ai"-e controlled by the compressed air conveyed through the pipe 40 and a pipe 44 traversing the cylinder 30 slightly above the-carrier 25.

' t l Between-ethe cylinders 30= and 37- is provided a sleeve 45 which is connected to the head 28 and which acts as a guide for the movements of the engaging head 28.

Feeding in successive rows on to the space 2.7 (Fig. 2), proceeds until the last row has been pushed against a terminal tappet 50 mounted so as to oscillate at 51 (Fig. 9) and capable of acting on a control valve '52 and on a micro interrupter switch 53. This actuation of the tappet can only be effected if an entire layer of objects to be packed is disposed on the space 27.

The cylinder 37 to which the engaging head is attached, is freely located in the carrier 25. Two springs 45 (Fig. A) (or a greater number) of carefully determined force, push the body of the cylinder 37 continually downwardly so that the member 39 does not normally come into contact with the tappet 34.

During the descent of the piston 42, the suction mem bers 29 are disposed on the cans and grip them. At this moment the piston 42 stops and the springs 45 are then compressed; the body of the cylinder 37 rises a little and the consequence of this is to push back the tappet 34 which is brought to the open position while the engaging head 28 rises loaded with cans.

The latter acts on an air tappet 54 (Fig. 11) which is carried by the carrier 25 and opened so as to initiate the horizontal displacement movement of the carrier 25 until it is disposed above the carton 5 to be filled. At this moment control tappets 55 and '56 supported by the carrier are pushed in and the carrier is thereby arrested; the engaging head 28 is then lowered until the cans touch the bottom of the carton 5 and the cylinder 37 is slightly raised causing the opening of the valve 34 and the raising of the head. An evacuated pipe which operates to keep the cans attached to the head, is then allowed to communicate with the atmosphere by a special device and the elfect of this is immediately to release the cans which are thus placed in the carton.

The engaging head 28 and the carrier 25 are automatically returned to the starting position.

During the course of the work cycle which has just been described, the arrival of the cans from the conveyor 2 and their displacement on to the table 6 is effected in complete rows so that the engagement of the cans by the cup-shaped members 29 may be effected almost immediately when the carrier occupies the correct position above the layer of cans, the efiect of the carrier reaching this position is to push in the air operated control tappets 57 and 58 (Fig. 5), one of which 57 is supported by the carrier and the other 58 of which occupies a fixed posi tion.

When the terminal tappet 50 (Fig. 9) has been pushed in by the arrival of the layer of cans the engaging head 28 is again lowered and begins a second working cycle similar to that which has just been described. The operating speed of the various compressed air cylinders must be regulated so that the carrier 25 is in the final position before the terminal tappet 50 is pushed in.

The working cycle consisting of the gripping and placmg in the position of the layer is repeated until the carton is full, which automatically involves the partial stoppage of the machine.

This latter operation will be described in detail at the same time as the operation in principle of the electric and pneumatic part with reference to Figs. 6-12 which are diagrams:

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 illustrating the operation of the machine by the placing of a carbon in position;

Fig. 9 showing a layer of cans ready to be gripped by the head 28;

Fig. 10 showing the start of the loaded carrier toward the container to be filled;

Fig. 11 illustrating the cans ready to be detached;

Fig. 12 showing a mechanism for counting the rows of cans.

By placing the carton to be filled in the machine a micro interrupter switch 60 is pressed in (Figs. 3 and 6);

this gives a signal (current impulse) by means of a time switch 61 to an electro-magnetic valve 62 after which the latter is operated and allows the compressed air to flow to the control valve 58 which puts the machine into operation.

When an entire row of cans on the table of the machine pushes against the micro interrupter switch 9 anelectromagnetic valve 63 comes into operation (Fig. 7).

This valve 63 allows the passage of compressed air into a pipe 64. A remotely controlled guide valve 65, is operated and the compressed air can flow to'the cylinderi12 through the pipe 66.

The piston 12 of the cylinder 12 is displaced inthe direction of the arrow F (Fig. 8) and causes thedisplacement of an entire row of cans on tothe table 6 of the machine until the moment when the control tappet 22 is pushed back by the member 151'6 ('Figs. 4 and 8). The tappet '22 allows the compressed air to flow through the pipe 22 towards the guide valve 65. The latter is operated and the compressed air passes through the pipe 67 towards the cylinder 1'2, the piston 12 of which effects a return movement.

This process is repeated several times until the control valve 52 and the micro-interrupter switch 53 have been pushed in by the arrival of the row of cans.

The micro-interrupter switch 53 which is connected in series with the interrupter switch 9 interrupts the current with the result that the entire feeding system is immediately stopped, that is to say, that the piston 12 of the cylinder 12 moves in the opposite direction and stops so as to permit the arrival of a complete row of cans.

68 (Fig. 9) only when the control valve 58 is pushed in, that is to say, when the carrier 25 is in the correct position and when the electro-magnetic valve 62 is in. a position which permits air to flow through the pipe 71 towards this valve 58 (Fig. 6). When an empty carton 5 is placed in position in the machine, the micro interrupter switch 60 is pushed in and the latter gives a current impulse to the time switch 61 operating the electromagnetic double valve 62 and permitting the feed of the control valve 58 with compressed air through the pipe 71. j,

When the control valve 52 is pushed in, the compressed air passing through the pipe 72 switches on a guide valve 73 after which the compressed air arrives in the cylinder 37 through the pipe 40.

The piston 42 (Fig. 5) provided'with the engaging head 28 is lowered so that the suction cup-shaped members 29 are disposed on the cans.

But the cylinder 37 is freely mounted in the carrier 25 on springs and when the piston 42 encounters a predetermined resistance the cylinder 37 is raised and the head 38 executes its brief movement in the chamber 41 so that the valve 34 is actuated and the compressed air flows through the pipe 36.

A special remotely controlled pneumatic valve 74 (Fig. 9) now receives the compressed air through the pipe 75, but it cannot operate because it is connected by a pipe 110 (Figs. 13-14) to a guide valve 87, itself connected with the cylinder 26 through a'pipe 111 (Fig. 13) and that, owing to the position of the piston 26', the pipe 110 is under pressure. In this condition the evacuated pipe 112, connected with the suction cup-shaped members, is not interrupted, but is connected to the pneumatic pump so that the cans are gripped as soon as they come into contact with the suction cup-shaped members.

After the opening of the valve 34, a guide valve 81 (Fig. 9) is also operated and this results in the feeding of the control valve 54 with compressed air through the pipe 82. At the same'tiine, the valve 34 also admits compressed air to the guidevalve 73, operating the latter,

1 and causing compressed air to flow through the pipe 44 The valve 52 receives compressed air through the pipe a petite; diredtio'n of fftlie pistes 42 mg. s ah'draisiiig inseam-tram thetable fi of 'the machine. V In higherposition"theeiigaging head 28, moyefi by t e yliridr 37puslis against the central tappt 54.

This 'operation'results in compressed airreac'hihgthe pipe 111 (Fi ts 'lhe r'sult 'is that she carrier 25* The valve -56 "which "now receives compressed air through the operated guide 'valve pipe 88-Fig. 1) {al- "lows co'rh'pressed air-to flow "through i the pipe -90" (the valve52being closed) --and"ope'rat'es "t'li-e guide valve -73 and thus 're'sults-in"feeding-the cyliiidr 37 from="ab'ove through the pipe 40 so that the piston 42 is lowered (Fig. 5). At the end of its course the cylinder 37 is again somewhat raised so that the control valve 34 opens and allows compressed air to flow effecting the feeding of compressed air to the valves 74, 81, 73.

The valve 74 is now operated and closes the circuit under vacuum.

This is now possible owing to the position of the piston in the cylinder 26 (Fig. 14), with the result that the evacuated pipe line 112 is subjected to atmospheric pressure (2) and the cans disposed against the suction cupshaped members detached.

The valve 34 allows compressed air to flow to the valve 81 and operates the latter to feed the valve 54 with compressed air again.

The guide valve 73 is also operated and causes the rising of the piston 42 of the cylinder 37. When the engaging head 28 now pushes in the control valve 54, the valve 57 is closed this time and the valve 55 is open and thus compressed air is allowed to flow through the pipe 91 (Fig. 11) to the guide valve 87 and operates the latter.

Compressed air can now reach the cylinder 26 through a throttle valve, attached at 87, flowing through the pipe 91 which returns the carrier again to its starting position so that the control valves 57 and 58 are pushed in.

Upon the return of the carrier, the valve 84 is pushed in by the cam 85 and this involves the operation of the guide valve 81 and returns the whole system again to its starting position.

On the return of the carrier, which takes place for each layer of cans which is placed in the carton, a cam 100 (Fig. 12) is turned at a given angle by a push 99 on the carrier. This cam 100, which is partly constructed as an interrupter device, carries fingers 99 the number of which corresponds to the number of layers to be formed. With each return movement of the carrier, the push 99 advances by a few degrees one of the fingers 99 whilst the latter, which are disposed against the push, are pushed in. The braking of the cam is effected by a small ball under resilient pressure which is pressed into a hole when the cam is in the correct position.

When the carton is filled with the number of layers of cans in the carton, a small adjustable finger 99 actuates a micro interrupter switch 101 which switches the electro-magnetic valve 102 towards the time switch 61 *anu' interrupts "the ar'rival ot coinpr'e'ssed 'a'irjt ffli-e enntrol valve 58 so that themaehine automatically stops A red damp-1 03 lights w s a "bolt ruminants mounted on the apparatus gripplngth'e'c'ai'tonopehsso that it is possible to remove "the filled carton.

"When an "empty carton is placed on the machine,"the

"ator uepressa "a "'pdal 105; "the fille'd carton is thereby "freed and-pushed ohto"theconveyor 4nnderiheeffcrdf an empty carton. I

When the empty carton being placed injposition, the

- pedal '105 is released and the" canon is pushed into the eo re'ce place.

ment on the conveyor 4 is suflicie'nt,

qhemaehineisfitted"with a small-vacuumpum operby i a special e'ornpressor or by a central installation.

The machine comprises in general a compressed air reservoir which regulates the pressure to the various apparatus.

The operation of the machine is protected from any carelessness on the part of the operator and, provided the feeding is normal, it can operate more or less without interruption.

The use of compressed air and a vacuum permits very important technical advantages to be obtained relative to existing machinery.

These advantages are mainly shown by economy in labour, the precision of the machine, the handling of the products to be packed and, finally, the adaptation thereof to various products.

Such a machine is perfectly adapted to large scale production and is entirely automatic.

Another advantage is that the containers which are labelled are not damaged during the actual packing, nor is there any risk of the edges being dented.

We claim:

1. In a container loading machine, an article support table, a support structure mounted above said table, a vertical cylinder mounted for vertical sliding movement in said structure, a piston in said cylinder, a suction head carried by said piston below said structure, conduit means connected to a supply of fluid under pressure, a switching valve in said conduit means and arranged to be moved between positions for selectively directing pressurized fluid into said cylinder above or below said piston, a first control member mounted above said movable cylinder in a position to be actuated thereby and operatively associated with said switching valve so that upon actuation of said first control member said switching valve is moved to a position for directing fluid to said cylinder below said piston, a second control member mounted in a position to be actuated by articles reaching a predetermined position on said table directly beneath said suction head and operatively associated with said switching valve so that upon actuation of said second control member said switching valve is moved to a position for directing pressurized fluid to said cylinder above said piston, and means for moving articles to said predetermined position on said table to actuate said second con trol member and cause the downward movement of said piston to bring said suction head into contact with the articles on said table and to thereafter cause said cylin der to slide upwardly in said support structure to engage and actuate said first control member whereby said switching valve is moved to a position for directing pressurized fluid to said cylinder below said piston to effect the elevation of said suction head.

2. A machine according to claim 1 wherein spring means are disposed between said support structure and said cylinder and arranged to be compressed during upward movement of said cylinder in said support structure.

3. A machine according to claim 1 wherein poweractuated meansmount said support structure for movement laterally of said table, and control means are arranged to be actuated by said upwardly movin-g suction head and operatively associated with said power-actuated means to energize the same upon being actuated by said suction head.

4. A machine according to claim 1 wherein a conduit is connected between said suction head and a supply of fluid at a negative pressure, and a valve is disposed in the path of upward movement of said cylinder and arranged to the actuated thereby, said valve being associated with said conduit and arranged upon being actuated to communicate said suction head with said supply of fluid at a negative pressure.

5. Apparatus for the handling of articles, comprising an article support table, a support structure mounted above said table, a vertical cylinder mounted for vertical sliding movement in said structure, a piston in said cylinder, article engaging means carried by said piston below said structure, conduit means connected to a supply of fluid under pressure, a switching valve in said conduit means and arranged to be moved between positions for selectively directing pressurized fluid into said cylinder above or below said piston, first control means mounted in a position to be actuated by said movable cylinder during vertical sliding movement thereof in response to the arrest of movement of said article engaging means, said first control means being operatively associated with said switching valve so that upon actuation of said first control means said switching valve is moved to a position for directing fluid to said cylinder below said piston, and second control means adapted to be actuated by articles reaching a predetermined position on said table directly beneath said article engaging means and operatively associated with said switching valve so that upon actuation of said second control means said switching valve is moved to a position for directing pressurized fluid to said cylinder above said piston.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,654,706 Schoen Jan. 3, 1928 1,793,595 Douglas Feb. 24, 1931 2,524,846 Socke et al. Oct. 10, 1950 2,650,746 Rideout et al. Sept. 1, 1953 2,679,963 Neal June 1, 1954 2,681,171 Brown et al. June 5, 1954 2,684,799 Holstein July 27, 1954 

